Gone to Mexico...

See you all next year.
Today Brooke and I each got 3rd place in our cyclocross races.

Tony Cruz (Discovery Channel) won the Pro men's race followed by Brandon Gritters (Rock 'n road) and Lyle Warner (Team Bearclaw).
I led out the first couple laps (more or less anyway, it was all kind of a blur) before pedal planting in a turn and falling to mid-pack.
Clawed my way back to the lead group but by then Tony Cruz and Brandon Gritters had opened up a gap.
I thought we could close down the gap but by that time it was only me, Chris DeMarchi and another racer, we'll call him Mr. X.
DeMarchi wasn't willing to work because Gritters was his team-mate so I ended up doing all the chasing! I felt good today though and was able to stay on the front and keep attacking, trying to drop DeMarchi and Mr. X and trying to close the gap to Gritters and Cruz. Unfortunately I couldn't do it alone, but I kept the gap at the same time for the whole damn race so I really wish I hadn't pedal-planted!!!!!!!!
With the way I felt today, if I could've sat on Cruz' wheel like a little Biatch instead of getting out in the wind and chasing I might have been able to improve on my 3rd place finish.
Still, I was happy with my form and even though I wasn't able to shake DeMarchi (he rode a super solid, smart race) and Mr. X off my tail I was fast over the barriers on the last lap and held a tiny gap to the line! Exciting stuff!
All in all it was a fun time and even though most of my team-mates are in Kansas (look on cyclingnews.com for pics of Chet!!!!!) I made sure that the crowd heard a lot about Team Bearclaw during the race and even had a media guy come over and ask about who we were and what the team was about.
Here's some pics and vids fo' yo' ass:


First lap.


Through the barriers.


Me, DeMarchi and Mr. X.


Tony Cruz and Brandon Gritters


Riding the runup.


Cruz leads the runup and Gritters muscles it over the top!


DeMarchi and me, you can even see some post-pedal-plant blood on my knee.


Sprint for 3rd.


Podium.

Some Storm the Beach sweetness:

Chet flew the whole team to Hawaii for a fun cyclocross race in the sun.





It was hard racing in the sand. There was a lot of running!

Things were a little hairy at the start and I hung back to avoid any accident.
After a long straight into a headwind it turned sharp to the right and downhill. I was able to move up in the field along the left side.
I was in the lead group and everyone was smooth along the back twisty muddy section until we hit some deep sand at speed!
A few people went down in front of me but I ran around and made my way to the beach where the waves made the sand firm enough to ride on.

Brent Prenzlow had come clear of the tangle in the sand along with Jason Lowetz.
Me and a few others tried to close the gap but only Fritz Bottger got across.
After that it was slow and steady for me and Tony Cruz, moving our way up through the field.

We passed Jason and John Bailey and Mike McMan (one of the best technically! Hammered through the sand) until it was just us behind (30 secs) Fritz, John Beherens and Brent Prenzlow.
Eventually I got a gap through the sand on the 2nd to last lap and held it to the line.
It was a really tough field and definitely my best result yet!


The Elite men.


I was able to make good time on Tony Cruz (Discovery Channel) in the sand and it allowed me to beat him even though he is a stronger rider.


Balls out into the sand at Storm the Beach.


Jason "whoo's!" through the sand.




McKeen smooth over the barriers.


Me and John Bailey over the barrers. It's windy at the beach!


Podium. I finally got to spray beer on all my friends. 4th place and I'll take it! It was a tough field.

Storm the Beach!

The setting of my latest 'cross race was 2nd to none. It was nice to race in such a pretty place, and the fact that I had good legs and the course was technical and suited me didn't hurt either.

More to come...

A Note on the California State 'Cross Champs

Unfortunately the best part of this trip will forever remain undocumented... let's just say that Team Bearclaw got their "crunk juice" on at the local cowboy bar, the Crystal Palace.
We will surmise that the band AND the patrons of this fine establishment will never forget the dancing and carousing they witnessed that night.
It will be talked about for many years to come.
Also, this conversation could be overheard amidst the line dancing:
"Where y'all from?"
"L.A."
"L.A.?!?... Ya'll 're such DORKS we though you were from Sweden 'er sumthin'"
"We're bike racers"

California State 'Cross Champs

The racing was tough, I got 5th both days and I made some $ chedda' $
Here's sort of a photo review, if you were at the races and don't see a photo here just click on one and it'll take you to my Flickr page.

The runup: there was a really steep runup that was ridden by a select few. The mantastic athletes of Team Bearclaw were among them.


Here's video of the runup. Tony Cruz (Discovery Channel) is hot on my heels... I was barely able to beat him despite the fact that A: cyclocross is not his specialty, and B: I'm guessing he rode about 30 hours in the week leading up to this race. Strong.
I believe he'll ride for BMC next year.


Jason rides the runup... The most impressive thing about this video is that AS he's riding over the crest he leans down and picks up a dollar so smoothly that I missed it the first few times I saw the video!


Fruits of my labor...


Back by popular demand: Alex was so endearing at the races that people requested he wear his "cheer gear" to the awards banquet (?).


Podium. Lotsa Bearclaw... check the glasses and the facial hair. Jason's boots were a special treat.


Podium. Brooke won some sweet prizes and took 3rd in her race. I look forward to reading about it on her blog.


Jeff Herring had a good race and came in 2nd.


Alex stepped his game up to race Elite.


Dolla' bill ya'll.


Daniel raced Elite too!


John and I chased each other around the course.


Alex the heckler


Fritz over the barriers while Dorothy Wong films it. Fritz was leading the race for a while and gets huge man points for taking 2nd in a very impressive field.


And the beer flowed like wine.